One piece handle and leg construction and means for fastening thereof to a fry pan or the like



United States Patent Harry H. Barker Remington S Radcliffe, Lexington, Ohio 756,559

Aug. 30, 1968 Dec. 15, 1970 Westinghouse Electric Corporation Pittsburgh, Pa.

a corporation of Pennsylvania Inventors App]. No. Filed Patented Assignee ONE PIECE HANDLE AND LEG CONSTRUCTION v AND MEANS FOR FASTENING THEREOF TO A FRY PAN OR THE LIKE 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI. '220/69; 16/! i4: 220/94 int. Cl 865d 25/28 Field of Search 220/69, 94; l6/ 1 14 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,209,939 10/1965 Ter 220/94 3,215,063 l H1965 Olson 16/1 14X Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorneys-F. H. Henson, E. C. Arenz and B. B. Sklar, .lr.

ABSTRACT: A vessel in the form of an electric fry pan characterized by the provision of readily removable one piece leg and handle structures for facilitating the cleaning thereof. Removal of the one piece structures is accomplished through rotation of a formed wire arm wire pivotally anchored to the bottom wall of the fry pan, at each side thereof. The formed wire arm wire engages the one piece structure at one point on the underside thereof while apertures provided at differentpoints on the leg structure receive studs in the bottom of the fry pan.

ONE PIECE HANDLE AND LEG CONSTRUCTION AND MEANS FOR FASTENING THEREOF TO A FRY PAN OR THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, in general, to domestic appliances and, more particularly, to cooking apparatus such as electric fry pans.

Present devices, of the type herein contemplated, are customarily provided with support structure in the form of legs and sometimes one piece leg and handle constructions which are molded of plastic and which are attached to the underside of the pan by a plurality of screws. These screws must be tightened from time to time to prevent the legs from falling off. This must be done carefully, always applying the same pressure, otherwise the plastic material is broken. Additionally, greasy dirt accumulates in the area of the screws, necessitating removal of the leg and handle structure for cleaning purposes.

Accordingly, the general object of this invention is to pro-- vide a new and improved leg retaining means for cooking vessels or the like.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a new and improved combination leg and handle structure for a -vessel which structure is readily removable for facilitating cleaning of the vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a low cost retention means for removable leg structures which can be easily manufactured and assembled.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly. the above-cited objects are accomplished by the provision of a one piece leg and handle structure fitted to the bottom wall of a vessel, one at each at opposed sides, by

means of depending studs in the bottom wall contiguous adjacent corners thereof, which studs are received in apertures provided in the top part of the leg portion of the one-piece structure. A formed wire having one end anchored in a slot by the head of a screw, engages a notch in the handle portion of the one piece structure. The slot is provided in a boss formed integrally in the bottom wall.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in view of the following detailed description and drawings forming a part hereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view, as viewed from the top, of an electric fry pan incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, as viewed from the bottom, of the electric fry pan shown in FIG. 1 showing one end; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken generally along the line III-III of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, especially FIG. 1, reference character designates generally an electric fry pan comprising a body portion 11 and a combination handle and leg member 12 attached, in a manner to be described hereinafter, to each side of the body portion II. The members 12 are of a one piece construction and are preferably molded from a suitable material, for example, plastic. The members 12 include leg structures I3 and handle portions 14, the former of which serves to support the body portion on a work surface and the latter of which provides means for moving the fry pan about.

The body portion 11 is preferably constructed by wellknown die-casting techniques, a suitable material, for example, aluminum being employed. A heater structure (not shown) is cast inthe body portion and is disposed below the main surface of a bottom wall 17 as indicated at 18 for providing a source of heat. The body portion has formed integrally with the bottom wall 17, a plurality of upstanding walls 19 A terminal structure generally indicated at 21 serves to connect a control (not shown) to the heater. While the combination leg and handle members 12 are herein disclosed in conjunction with an electric fry pan, it will be appreciated that the inventive concept may well be employed with other structures, for example, a serving dish or vessel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom' wall 17 has provided therein, two bosses 22, only one shown, each having an elongated slot 23 therein and a tapped screw hole 24. One end of an arm 26, fabricated from formed wire, is received in the slot 23 and retained therein by means of the head 27 of a screw 28 and an upset portion 29 at the extreme end of the arm. The opposite end of the arm 26 has an offset portion 31 which is received in a notch 32 in the underside of the handle portion of the combination member 12.

The bottom wall 17 has depending therefrom, adjacent each corner, a stud 33 which is received in an aperture 34 provided in the top portion of the leg structure portion of the member 12. The arrangement of the studs and apertures together with the arm 26 serve as the sole means for captivating the member 12 relative to the bottom wall 17. It will be appreciated that rotation of the arm 26 to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2 frees the member 12 for removal thereof.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribed apparatus and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shownin the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In combination:

a vessel having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of studs depending therefrom;

a pairof support structures for said vessel, each support structure comprising a pair of opposed legs, each leg being provided with a stud-receiving aperture;

means interconnecting said opposed legs; and

means captivated in said bottom wall and movable between first and second positions, said means being engageable with said interconnecting means in said first position for retaining said leg structure in place and being out of engagement in said second position whereby said leg structure is readily removable.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1 wherein said means captivated in said bottom wall comprises a formed wire having an offset segment at the end engaging said interconnecting member, said interconnecting member having a notch for receiving said offset segment for retention thereof.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2 including:

a boss of said bottom wall, said boss having a slot therein receiving the end of said formed wire opposite said offset segment; and

a screw receivedin said boss such that its head overlies said end of said formed wire opposite said offset segment.

4. Structure as specified in claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means comprises a handle for lifting said vessel. 5. In combination, a cooking vessel having a bottom wall structure:

support structure including at least two legs and a transverse member interconnecting said legs;

said structures having complementary elements engaging each other;

means engageable with said transverse member for cooperating with said complementary elements to said support adjacent said bottom wall structure; and

said cooperating means including mounting means providing movement between a first position for retaining said support structure on said cooking vessel and a second position permitting removal thereof.

6. Structure as specified in claim 5 wherein said complementary elements comprise stud and stud-receiving apertures.

7. Structure as specified in claim 6 wherein:

said transverse member comprises a handle portion for lifting said vessel; and

said vessel comprises a frying pan. 

